October 9, 2013 1:30PM to 3:30PM John L. OBrien Building House - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

WorkFirst Oversight Legislative-Executive Taskforce October 9, 2013 1:30PM to 3:30PM John L. O’Brien Building House Hearing Room B Olympia, WA 1

AGENDA Time Agenda Item Presenter(s) 1:30 Welcome/Introductions Representative Ruth Kagi, Co-Chair DSHS Secretary Kevin Quigley, Co-Chair 1:40 TANF Budget Megan Atkinson, Budget & Grants Mgmt. Administrator, ESA, DSHS 2:00 CSD Contact Center Update Babs Roberts , Director, CSD, ESA, DSHS 2:05 WorkFirst Improvement Plan Babs Roberts , Director, CSD, ESA, DSHS 2:35 Revised Comprehensive Evaluation Update Sandy Jsames , Policy Lead, CSD, ESA, DSHS 2:45 Performance Review (6 Min Each) • • Tom Medina , RIA Chief, CSD, ESA, DSHS Limited English Proficiency Pathway • Commerce • Molly Onkka , Program Manager, Commerce • Employment Security Department • Gary Kamimura , Director of Program Administration, ESD • State Board for Community and Technical • Jim Crabbe, Director of WorkForce Education & Economic Colleges Development, SBCTC; and Kelli Johnston , Policy Associate, SBCTC 3:10 Public Comment Period 3:20 Task Force Next Steps Task Force Members 3:30 Adjourn 2

Illustration of Work First Provisos Transfer Authority 2013-15 Biennium Budget $ Asst to Clients WF Services $407 M $168 M Up to 10% - Caseload, Utilization, Client Outcomes Admin WCCC $142 M $368 M No transfer provisions Green arrows indicate ability to transfer funding between proviso “buckets,” various restrictions apply. 3

WorkFirst Budget Third Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill (3ESSB) 5034 Section 207 (1)(a) requires DSHS to create a WorkFirst budget structure that: • Allows for transparent tracking of budget units and subunits of expenditures to include: – Cash Assistance – Child Care – WorkFirst Activities – Program Administration • Uses program index codes for specific activities and to develop allotments and track expenditures using these codes. 4

WorkFirst Budget Structure M02 X10 X18 X22 X23 Admin. Costs TANF Cash Diversion Cash WCCC Child WF Employment and Staffing Grants Assistance Care & Training Commerce ESD SBCTC LEP DSHS Support Services Tribal TANF 5

TANF Re-Authorization—Federal Government Shutdown TANF was due for Re-Authorization in 2010 but has been extended through several Continuing Resolutions. The most recent extension expired September 30, 2013. • States may use any 2013 federal roll-over funding to maintain grants and client services. These funds may not be used for Administrative costs. • Washington has enough federal roll-over funding and GF-S to maintain program operations through January 2014. • In December 2013 we will likely exhaust federal roll-over funding and revert to 100% GF-S funding. • At this time, all partners report continuation of services to WorkFirst clients. • SNAP/FAP benefits are only authorized through October 31, 2013. • Child Care benefits may be state funded through November 30, 2013 6

TANF Service--Administration Economic Services Administration Increase Efficiency Community Services Division Call Center Forced Disconnect by Queue Forced Disconnects (%) By Queue 90.00% Childcare Queue General Queue Green Q Gray Q Blue Q Navigator Q 80.00% General Queue Shared Workload Implementation 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% Childcare Queue 0.00% Apr-12 May-12 Jun-12 Jul-12 Aug-12 Sep-12 Oct-12 Nov-12 Dec-12 Jan-13 Feb-13 Mar-13 Apr-13 May-13 Jun-13 Jul-13 Aug-13 Sep-13 DATA SOURCE: Consolidated Technology Services (CTS) MEASURE DEFINITION: Rate by which calls encounter the “all agents are busy” message and must attempt the call again 7

Federal Work Participation Rates FFY 2012 Target FFY 2012 Rate FFY 2012 Over/Under Target All Family 14.6% 10.1% -4.5% Two-Parent 54.6% 10.2% -44.4% FFY 2013 Target FFY 2013 Rate FFY 2013 Through 08/2013 Data Over/Under Target All Family 12.5%-30.3% 11.9% -0.6% (minimum) Two-Parent 52.5%-70.3% 10.8% -41.7% (minimum) • Washington did not meet either the All Family or Two-Parent participation target rates for FFY2012 • Washington is not meeting the targets for FFY2013 8

Work Participation Rates Penalties Federal Fiscal Year 2012 Penalties All Family $13.5 Million Two-Parent $1.4 Million Federal Fiscal Year 2013 Potential Penalties All Family $18.6 Million Two-Parent $2.2 Million Total Estimated Penalties $35.7 Million • WA will submit a corrective compliance plan request to eliminate or reduce penalties • A corrective compliance plan will need to be implemented to balance engagement that matters with the requirement to meet the federal participation requirements 9

WorkFirst Improvement Plan • DSHS developed an action plan to improve WorkFirst performance that includes continued implementation of 2011 WorkFirst Re-Examination recommendations and new initiatives designed to result in short and long-term improvements. • The elements of the plan draw heavily on staff feedback as well as on a realistic look at what has or has not worked well historically. • Performance improvement items will be incorporated into a Report to the Legislature required by 3ESSB 5034 Section 207 (1)(a) and due on November 1, 2013. • The actions taken as a result of this plan would also comprise key components of a future corrective compliance plan to ACF. 10

WorkFirst Improvement Plan Elements Adjust WorkFirst Partner Contracts Implement New WorkFirst Orientation Comprehensive LEAN Overhaul WAC Changes Required Increase Participation for 2 Parents New Comprehensive Evaluation and PRISM Reduce Sanction Period/Increase Outreach Working Family Support (Career Services) WAC Changes Required WAC Changes Required 15% Incentive for Meeting Work Requirements Conduct Practice Assistance Visits WAC Changes Required Recommend Reduce Infant Exemption Period Increase Access to Life Skills training RCW and WAC Changes Required Increase Use of WEX as a Bridge /Ramp Focus Case Management 11

Partner Contract Changes SFY 2014 Allocation Continued Activities and WF Changed Activities and WorkFirst Support Services Support Services • Employment $15.418 Million Existing Career Scope service Effective September 18, 2013, only Security delivery model participants with a job offer may • All participants may receive receive other WorkFirst support WorkFirst support services services (such as clothing, tools, etc.) automatic transportation payments, bus passes and OJT These supports will be provided by reimbursements DSHS. • Community & $13.601 Million Vocational Education No longer funded as of 01/01/2014 • IBEST Technical • Colleges High-Wage, High-Demand Stand-alone classes for: • Training Life Skills • • Degree Completion Customized Job Skills Training • • Basic Skills, ESL, HS completion Open entry/open exit GED • and HS Equivalency (GED) Summer and holiday break preparation activities • • WorkFirst Work Study Remote site (in CSOs) classes • Commerce $29.828 Million Community Jobs Community Works (WEX), will be • Career Development available as of October 18, 2013 • Job Connection 12

WorkFirst LEAN • Plan and conduct six Value Stream Mapping workshops to identify opportunities for improvement. • Develop and implement an action plan based on workshop recommendations. Reduce Process for Verifying and Increasing Reducing Post CE ESD Job Preparing Documenting Successful Transition Engagement Search Federal Actual Hours Outcomes Gaps (Barrier Churn Participation of for Removal to Report Participation Educational Work) Activities Agencies ESD & DSHS DSHS & WF SBCTC & DSHS & WF DSHS DSHS (CSD) Partners DSHS Partners Location Tacoma Olympia Vancouver Everett Spokane Yakima Participants Participants will be selected from across the state to ensure representation from East/West; Urban, Suburban and Rural locations Workshop Early Mid-January Early March Mid-April Early June Mid-July Schedule December 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 2013 13

WorkFirst Evaluation & Assessment Pilot • Six-week pilot in three CSOs to test a redesigned WorkFirst evaluation – In-person interviews – Whole-family, strength-based approach – Follow up questions when there may be an issue • Completed 695 WorkFirst evaluations with newly approved TANF applicants • Used client telephone surveys, staff online surveys/focus groups, observation and management interviews to gather information 14

Survey Findings: Yes, the evaluation asked the right questions about… Goals Work Education Job Barriers Health Transportation Family Childcare Housing Supports Strengths 0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0% Transportat Strengths Supports Housing Childcare Family Health Job Barriers Education Work Goals ion Control Clients 71.2% 83.4% 84.5% 86.4% 91.3% 90.2% 82.5% 81.5% 91.3% 93.2% 85.5% Pilot Clients 94.7% 92.8% 92.1% 91.7% 96.0% 93.8% 94.7% 91.2% 95.2% 95.5% 96.3% 15

Recommendations • Restructure and streamline WorkFirst evaluation questions • Use in-person interviews and offer a separate WorkFirst evaluation appointment to all parents • Test the restructured questions prior to statewide implementation 16